Invalids table



(No Model.) 7

F. E. ASPBR. INVALID'S TABLE.

No. 561,955. Patented June 16, 1896.

UNiTn TaTns .PATTTNT @rricn.

IELORENOE E. ASPER, OF OI'IILLICOTIIE, MISSOURI.

INVALIDS TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,955, dated June 16,1896.

Application filed February 29, 1896. Serial No. 581,818. (lie model.)

To oZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FLORENCE E. ASPER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chillicothe, in the countyof Livingston and State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in InvalidsTables; and

I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to mahe and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in tablesof that class designed. for use by invalids and persons eating in bedwithout rising, and it has for its objects, among others, to provide asimple, cheap, light table that can be carried from place to place, andwhich will support the plates and other dishes without danger of theirbeing displaced. It embodies a light support having a surroundingflange, and may be as ornamental as desired, and folding legs with aspring for holding them in their closed po sition or extending them foruse.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear,and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in theappended claim.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective View of myimproved table. Fig. is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. is asimilar section with the table in its folded position.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the several views.

Referring now to the details of the drawin gs by letter, A designatesthe table or support, which is made of any desired material, preferablythin light wood, having a raised surrounding flange a upon the rear sideand the ends, and the front, which is preferably formed upon. a curve soas to better accommodate itself to the shape of the person, is providedwith a flange a, which, together with the flange at the rear and ends,serves to hold the dishes upon the same.

The table may be of any desired length. At

the rear, or it may be at the end, there is provided a hook or othermeans B, by which it maybe hung upon the wall or other support when notin use. 0 are legs hinged to the under side of the board near oppositeends by hinges 0, so arranged that the legs may fold down flat againstthe under face of the board when not in use. D is a spring, preferablyof a suitable piece of wood, secured, as at d, at its center to theunder side of the board and its ends of suiiicient length to hold thelegs distended. For this purpose the legs are formed with the adjacentcurved sides forming the openings E, the rear wall of which is providedwith an offset or ledge c, into which the ends of the spring, which areslightly beveled, are adapted to automatically engage as the legs areturned into their operative position. When the legs are folded, the endsof the spring overlapping the same hold them in contact with the underside of the board. The advantages of a table constructed in accordancewith the above description will be readily understood and appreciated.

Modifications in details m ay be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages. I proposeto make the tables of various sizes, someadaptedfor childrens beds andcribs.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is Aninvalid-table comprising the board having the flange at the rear and twoends with its front side curved and provided with a flange, legs hingedto the under side thereof near opposite ends and formed with centralopenings having offsets, and a spring-strip secured to the under side ofsaid board with its ends beveled and extended in the direction of thelength of the board to engage the legs and hold them in their closedposition and to automatically enter said offset as the legs areextended, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

FLORENCE E. ASPER.

Witnesses G. R. J. Mcln'ruurr, E. D. ALLEN.

